In-line optical amplifiers are used for high-speed optical communication and data transmission over short distances, such as for a local area network within a metropolitan area, as well as long distances, such as for a long haul optical network. In-line optical amplifiers ensure that network traffic, carried by optical signals via a network path (e.g., via fiber optic cables), are able to transit short or long distance optical networks. However, optical networks occasionally experience service interruptions due to faults associated with one or more in-line optical amplifiers due to a variety of reasons. For example, an in-line optical amplifier may fail which may cause a service disruption due to network traffic ceasing to travel through the in-line optical amplifier (e.g., a hard failure). In another example, an in-line amplifier may experience diminished performance (e.g., a soft failure) due to a failure of one or more pump lasers included in the amplifier that causes output power to decrease below a threshold. The soft failure may cause the signal quality of network traffic flowing through the network to degrade that could lead to a service disruption or could diminish a quality of service (QoS) associated with the network.
Usually, when a fault associated with a failed amplifier is detected, the network traffic on the network path, which may include tens or hundreds of channels, may be rerouted to an alternate path (e.g., a protection path), which may enable the optical network to continue to operate while minimizing downtime or disruption of network client services. However, while protection paths may, in some circumstances, reduce network downtime or disruption, utilizing a protection path while performing maintenance operations may nonetheless introduce new operational risks and/or undesirable affects on network operations, client services and operational costs. For example, utilizing a protection path, particularly during planned maintenance operations, may introduce constraints into the optical network that may affect performance, such as loss of optical path diversity (e.g., loss of link diversity and/or node diversity) due to the restriction in the number of available signal paths, which may also reduce available bandwidth for network traffic. Utilization of protection paths may also increase the likelihood of dual events (e.g., dual faults) due to the loss or reduction in available or redundant optical paths, which may increase the risk of network operations and/or reduced optical network reliability or performance. Additionally, performing maintenance operations using protection paths may be both costly and disruptive to network operations due to the need to schedule and coordinate maintenance events in advance to minimize impact on network services (e.g., due to shut downs on portions of the optical network); to inform and coordinate potential disruption of network services to clients; and to synchronize network maintenance crew schedules with those of local authorities and/or crews associated with sites (e.g., construction sites, locations of natural disasters, etc.) where maintenance may be performed.